Author
Greg Pichler
Date
Nov 09, 2020
Abstract
In this first installment of a two part series of the MXB Wire contributor, Gregory Pichler, reports on the local real estate market and investigates whether a number of seasoned real estate agents avoid showing potential buyers property in Middlesex Beach. This article features interviews of Christi Arndt, who is the sales manager of the Leslie Kopp Group (Bethany Beach, DE), as well as Vicki York, who is the owner of the Vicki York at the Beach Realty (Ocean View, DE). This article is schedule for release on November 24, 2020
Article Last Updated (Date)
Nov 09, 2020 05:57 AM
Preview of the article, Investigative Reports: Passed Over
background
I first became interested in covering the reluctance of real estate agents to show property in Middlesex Beach when on Saturday, September 26, 2020 Tim Switzer and Jane Switzer, who own the property at 1 Dune Road, solicited the board to waive the restriction of performing work on their property on Saturdays prior to the date whereby work on Saturdays is permissible.
At one point in her presentation Jane Switzer took HOA president Margie Cyr and the board to task for what she framed as an "unreasonable" adherence to policies and rules on the part of the board. Switzer went further, admonishing the board for cultivating what she characterized as the "poor" reputation Middlesex Beach has amongst the greater resort community, and in particular with seasoned real estate agents due to the infighting between the board and the community members.
Taking Switzer's statement in isolation, one could rationalize the accusation as retaliation against the board for what the Switzers regard as interference towards their end goal of erecting a house on the property at 1 Dune Road to replace the original structure that they had since torn down. Given the Switzers purchased the property through the Leslie Kopp Group on May 16, 2018 for reportedly 1,150,000.00 dollars, it is unclear why the Switzers are going through the trouble of a tear down and build back up project as they have listed the property, for which the evolving building is being constructed on, for sale.
In fact Switzer's opinion corroborated that of another residential member of the community. In response to a broadcast e-mail message, dated August 4, 2020, the owner of a property on the ocean side, who wishes to stay anonymous, writes saying:
What in the heck is going on? MBX used to be cool relaxed place. everybody got along. the board appears to be out of control. MBX is getting a reputation among the real estate community as not such a great place to buy given the current state of the HOA.
This article is schedule for release on November 24, 2020